After President Obama extended the country’s military national emergency status for one year, experts noted that the move allows him additional time to sign an executive order suspending “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” According to a “stop-loss” statute (10 U.S.C. section 12305), Congress has authorized the President to suspend any law regarding military separations during national security emergencies.
“By extending the state of emergency,” said Dr. Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center, a research institute at the University of California, Santa Barbara, “the president has given himself more time to suspend the gay ban via executive order. Because the legislative process is frozen, a two-part strategy is the only realistic way to go. Start with an executive order, and then follow with legislative repeal.”
On September 10, the President issued the document titled “Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Certain Terrorist Attacks” in which he noted, “I am continuing for one year the national emergency declared on September 14, 2001.” – by Nancy Ford
Comments